Feds Settle USERRA Case with Bridgestone

April 7, 2005 (PLANSPONSOR.com) -
Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire has agreed to
advance an Army National Guardsman within its pay schedule
and give him back pay as part of an out-of-court settlement
with the federal government.

According to a BLR.com news report, the US Justice
Department had sued the tire company, alleging that it
failed to follow the Uniformed Services Employment and
Re-employment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) by not advancing
the guardsman during a 15-month period while he was on
active duty.

The government’s suit said that the guardsman joined the
service in August 2000 and was later hired by Bridgestone
in May 2002. The guardsman was then activated as a member
of the Army National Guard under Operation Enduring
Freedom/Iraqi Freedom from December 2002 to March 2004.

Upon his return to Bridgestone, the guardsman was paid
at the same rate as when he left, rather than being
advanced on the company’s progressive pay schedule,
according to the Justice Department.

The Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) of
the Labor Department referred the guardsman’s complaint to
the Justice Department upon completion of its
investigation.